1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to copy holders for computer work stations, and more particularly to a document holder which is adapted for use with a keyboard drawer and keyboard cabinet.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is desirable to hold a document or a book in position between a keyboard and a monitor so that a person working at a computer work station can more easily transcribe or edit materials on the computer without having to turn to one side to look at a document. It is also desirable to provide a copy holder which holds copy in direct line of sight in front of and close to the user and which is also adapted to fit inside of a keyboard drawer during use. It is also desirable to easily remove a copy holder from a work surface when a computer is not in use in order to make efficient use of a work surface by means of a copy holder which is adapted to fit inside of a keyboard drawer together with the keyboard where the drawer is extendible from and fits inside of a keyboard cabinet.
Keyboard drawers which can be extended from a cabinet which is positioned underneath a computer monitor are typically used when there is need for additional room for placement of a keyboard between a monitor and the edge of a work surface or there is need for more work surface when a computer is not in use. The general limitation to providing a document holder which is in direct line of sight with the monitor screen is also a lack of depth of a traditional work surface. There is usually not room between a computer and a keyboard or between a monitor and a keyboard to provide an inline document holder.
A keyboard drawer provides a means for support of a keyboard beyond the edge of a work surface and also provides a convenient method of removing and storage of the keyboard in order to free the work surface for other use. A need exists for a copy holder adapted for use with a keyboard drawer and keyboard cabinet and which fits inside of a keyboard drawer and inside of a keyboard cabinet with the keyboard in order to make even more efficient use of a work surface. Such a copy holder not only does not infringe on the limited space of a traditional work surface but also increases working space by providing additional space for placement of one or more documents. It has the ability to extend beyond the edge of a work surface when the keyboard drawer is extended since it is positioned inside of the keyboard drawer. Room is thereby provided for a document holder which is also in the ergonomically correct direct line of sight of the user.
By closing the keyboard drawer when the computer is not in use, with the copy holder positioned inside, valuable space of a desk work surface is not encumbered with the copy holder nor is it encumbered with the keyboard. By providing a copy support plate that is removable from the remainder of the copy holder, the copy support plate is placed inside of the keyboard drawer and on top of the copy holder above the keyboard for storage inside of the keyboard drawer when not in use.
Many prior art copy holders must be placed to one side of the computer rather than between the computer keyboard and the display. This placement forces the computer operator to constantly look to the left or right to view the copy, often causing neck and back strain, as well as resulting in inefficient work. The placement to one side makes it more difficult to see print because it is placed at a greater distance from the viewer. Placement of a copy holder to one side of the computer also uses or blocks valuable desk top space and must frequently compete for space with a computer mouse and mouse pad, a fax machine, printer, compact disc holders and other equipment. The common usage of computer peripheral devices have crowded the effective work surface and have limited the room for a copy holder. Other disadvantages of prior art copy holders include difficulty in accessing computer disk drives, and the relatively small surfaces for holding documents.
Prior art copy holders frequently have many parts which must be manufactured and assembled, increasing the manufacturing costs. The prior art includes several attempts to create inline document holders as well as a number of copy holders which are designed to be held at the side of the monitor.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,314 to Crawford, issued on May 4, 1976, describes a paint box and easel combination. A detachable lid for a base functions as a palette. An upright member having a bail fits into rib notches through the base center to adjust the angle of the easel upright relative to the tray. An easel extension slides in an upright socket and is fixed in extension for painting. The present invention is an inline copy holder adapted for use with a keyboard drawer and keyboard cabinet. The present invention has no upright socket nor does it have an easel extension. An object of the present invention is limitation of the number of parts and ease of manufacture resulting in a durable yet economic means for holding copy material in a comfortable and ergonomic position, adapted for a keyboard drawer and keyboard cabinet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,074 to Strong et al, issued on May 13, 1986 describes a holder for storing books and for supporting articles in open position and includes a body and a cover hinged together. The cover is pivotable fowardly and downwardly about a pair of double-acting hinges. The present invention includes a detachable copy support plate that is advantageously supported above a keyboard when in use, effectively avoiding obstruction by a keyboard cabinet and desk top computer when positioned inside of a keyboard drawer and when the copy support plate tilts backwards in order to support a document. The copy support plate is stored within a keyboard cabinet with the keyboard and keyboard drawer when a computer is not in use. The present invention does not have hinges. It is an object of the present invention to have a minimal number of parts so that economical manufacture is achieved.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,162,055 to Summers, issued on Jul. 24, 1979, describes a copyholding device having a pivotally mounted support column and a support platform telescopically connected. It further includes a base assembly of a multiple layer construction and a projecting flange portion with a pivot pin. The support column has a vertically spaced upper and lower end section and a generally horizontally extending section disposed between and interconnecting the end sections. The present invention does not have a support column and does not have a pivot pin. It is an object of the present invention to minimize the number of parts in order to achieve economic manufacture. The present invention can be economically manufactured by extrusion or injection molding and utilization of a polymeric material. It is an object of the present invention to provide an easily removable copy support plate for easy access to a computer disk drive and for easy storage inside of a keyboard drawer within a keyboard cabinet together with a keyboard. It is an object of the present invention to provide a sturdy document holder to be used in conjunction with a monitor and computer keyboard drawer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,725 to Spangler, issued on Jan. 22, 1980, describes a book-holding apparatus to be used with a kitchen cabinet and the like. It includes a leaf to be used as a book-holder. The leaf is enclosed in a box frame having two spaced sides and a back. The leaf is supported within the frame by a slot. The present invention has no box frame nor slots and is adapted for use with a keyboard drawer and keyboard cabinet. The present invention includes a copy support plate which is supported above a keyboard and is tilted backwards without obstruction by the keyboard cabinet computer, monitor riser, and monitor, when positioned inside of a keyboard drawer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,947 to Gesten, issued on Oct. 15, 1985, describes a cover and copy holder for a keyboard housing which includes a planar cover body attached by a pivot pin, and a mounting means including a clasp. When the cover is lifted, paper which is supported by a receptacle on the underside, is in plain view. The present invention includes a removable copy support plate which is interchangeable. The present invention includes a top support which importantly extends over the rear portion of a keyboard without obstructing use of keyboard keys. The bottom edge of the copy support plate is directly above the keyboard. The copy support plate tilts backward without obstruction by the front edge of a keyboard cabinet, and computer, making the inline copy holder operative within the very limited confines of a keyboard drawer extended from a keyboard cabinet. This unique feature is a distinct advantage to be appreciated by those skilled in the art. The present invention has no side walls and is economic to manufacture. The present invention further includes a copy support plate which is easily removed and stored with the remainder of the copy holder inside of a keyboard cabinet with a keyboard. The present invention maximizes efficient use of desk top space and does not mitigate the aesthetics of an office environment. The present invention has less parts. It has no pivot pin, no clasp, no hinge means, and may be manufactured efficiently by either extrusion or injection molding. It is an object of the present invention to provide a sturdy copy holder device of the above character that is of a relatively simple and straightforward design and therefore, may be economically manufactured and will have a long and effective operational life.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,775 to Long describes an inline copy holder stand equipped with a forwardly inclinable copy holder back which allows access to the computer disk drives. A brace maintains the copy holder back in a generally upright position in which the back is used to hold the copy material. A disadvantage of this design is the requirement to pivot the entire copy holder back forward over the documents in order to access the disk drive of the computer. A preferable method of access for the disk drive is to have the option to merely pick up the material and copy support plate or tilt the copy support plate forward. Since the copy support plate fits inside of the keyboard drawer for storage, the computer and monitor can also be accessed while the copy support plate is inside of the keyboard drawer. These simple methods of access is possible with the current invention because the copy support plate is removable and rests against the support ridge and on top of the copy rest when in use. The mechanism of the '775 patent is more complicated than the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,876 to Hatcher, issued on Sep. 26, 1995, describes a copy holder for use inline with a monitor stand which comprises a pull-out copy holder and an incline of about 22 degrees with respect to the table top surface. An object of the present invention is to provide a simpler copy holder which rests inside of a keyboard drawer when in use and remains in and is stored in the keyboard drawer when not in use. An object of the present invention is to provide a greater angle for holding the copy for more effective viewing by the user and which is ergonomically correct. It is a further object of the current invention to provide a simple mechanical apparatus providing that copy holding function which does not involving bolting any fixture to a desk or work surface. The current invention permits the use of interchangeable copy support plates of varying sizes, including the use of a copy support plate which can support at least two 81/2" by 11" pages to accommodate the needs of a user who may have a large work project requiring placement of more than one page in line of view for reference at the same time.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,086 issued to Ramey et al on Apr. 14, 1992, describes a generally planar base plate with an upstanding easel which has a projecting lip. The easel is vertically adjustable and transversely slidable to permit access to the computer disk drive. In addition to its simplicity, an advantage to the present invention involves the ability to be conveniently stored completely inside of a keyboard drawer with the keyboard which when not in use. The copy holder cannot be seen and does not occupy desk top space when it is inside of the keyboard drawer inside of a keyboard cabinet for storage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,929 issued to Stefancin on Aug. 30, 1994, describes an adjustable keyboard tray assembly and copy stand which can be folded over the keyboard to a flattened arrangement to facilitate storage. The keyboard tray assembly includes a clasp to retain and support computer keyboards in an adjustable downward angle and a support leg. The copy stand also includes a connector arm. The present invention includes a removable copy support plate and does not include a connector arm. The present invention is a simpler and economical device that effectively functions as an inline copy holder within a keyboard drawer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,216 issued to Liu on Nov. 25. 1997, describes a pencil box with a copy holder structure. It includes a box cover hinged to the box body, two stands, a bottom rack, a top rack and two support arms. The present invention does not have support arms and does not have hinges. An object of the present invention is to provide an ergonomic inline copy holder adapted for use with a keyboard while the keyboard rests on a keyboard drawer which is extended from a keyboard cabinet for use at a computer work station.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,786,861 issued to Parker on Jul. 28, 1998, describes a detachable clipboard structure for attachment to a computer keyboard comprising two arm bases adapted to be attached to the sides of the computer keyboard. It is an object of the present invention to include a detachable copy support plate which is positioned on top of a copy rest whereby a keyboard is positioned underneath the copy support plate thereby permitting use within the limited space of a keyboard drawer. It is an object of the present invention to provide a detachable copy support plate that tilts backwards against a support ridge and is not obstructed by a keyboard cabinet, computer, monitor riser, and monitor, when it is positioned inside of a keyboard drawer which is extended from a keyboard cabinet.
In addition to the attempt for design of inline copy holders, there have been a number of designs involving the placement of the copy to the side of the computer monitor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,924, issued on Mar. 31, 1998, to Hegarty and Terc describes a counter balanced copy holder which is typically attached to a monitor. That copy holder includes a support arm for orienting the copy holder in space to either the right or left of the computer monitor. The present invention is simpler and requires no support arms.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,524 issued on Jul. 29, 1997, to Calfee for an adjustable document holder for a computer work station describes a document holder which may be positioned along three mutually perpendicular axes and which may be rotated about one of the axis to place the easel in a selective working position. The present invention provides a means for efficient ergonomic placement of copy directly in front of and close to the user, in direct line of sight with a monitor screen without complex mechanisms and at low cost.
A problem with prior art computer copy holders is that the copy holders are designed for only a few specific types of computers. Thus, prior art work stations were not always designed to permit disk entry access from different locations, nor to retain various types and sizes of disk drive units, monitors and keyboard placements.
Those who use computer keyboard drawers which extend from computer cabinets which are placed underneath the monitor usually have very limited space between the front edge of their desk and the computer monitor. That is a primary reason for making the expenditure and adopting the use of a keyboard drawer which can extend beyond the front edge of a desk and further, be stored inside of the cabinet when not in use, freeing the work surface for other use. It is an object of the current invention to provide a document holder which adapts fully and advantageously to the severe spatial limitations presented by a keyboard drawer and keyboard cabinet.
It is an object of the current invention to provide an inexpensive document holder to hold documents in a convenient inline manner between the user, the computer keyboard and the computer monitor.
It is a further object of the current invention to provide a document holder which will hold single sheets or opened tablets in place without the need for clips, springs or other devices to hold a document.
It is a further object of the current invention to reduce the number of mechanisms, avoid the use of an arm device and hinges and to provide a removable and interchangeable copy support plate for ease of use.
It is a further object of the current invention to provide a simple device that increases efficient use of effective work surface by having room for an inline document holder on virtually any size desk or table.
It is further object of the current invention to provide a simple copy holder in a manner that increases the effective work surface by having the capacity to store the copy holder with a keyboard inside of a keyboard drawer and inside of a keyboard cabinet that holds the keyboard drawer when the computer is not in use.
It is further object of the current invention to provide a simple combination device that is not attached by bolts, screws, pivot pins or other fasteners to anything, thereby allowing easy removal for storage when not in use.
It is a further object of the current invention to provide a document holder that can hold more than one page simultaneously.
It is further object of the current invention to provide a simple mechanical device that will work well with tower style or desktop style computers so as to be capable of utilization with substantially all computer hardware.
It is further object of the current invention to provide a simple relatively inexpensive document holding capability without requirement for moving parts or a large number of parts.
A further object of the current invention is to provide a computer work station which permits access to the disk drive while maintaining the copy holder stand in an upright position.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a computer workstation which is economical to manufacture, refined in appearance, and simple to utilize but nevertheless maximizes function. These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
The terms copy holder and easel are generic descriptions of support means, and it is obvious to those skilled in the art that many types of supports may be employed in the invention. Terms such as front, rear, top, bottom, left, and right are used to communicate the nature of the invention and not to restrict its application.